The parents of a high-school friend of mine owned a solid-white ’80 Thunderbird. With sales dropping by almost half in 1981, and again in 1982, they weren’t exactly flying out of the dealerships anymore. In 1980, the most successful year, 156,803 units were sold. It would go on to lead a very long and successful life, hanging out beneath countless Ford-produced cars and pickups.ĭuring the three model years of this generation, from 1980 to 1982, Ford sold 288,638 of these new Thunderbirds. That aside, there was one distinct positive for all 1980 Ford models, including the Thunderbird: The venerable AOD (automatic overdrive) transmission. Then again, how often did a Thunderbird actually carry more than two passengers? Granted, it was smaller in every dimension and now advertised as a four-passenger vehicle, unlike its five (or more)- passenger predecessors.
It simply was ill-equipped to fly.įor those who prized leisurely cruising and comfort over raw acceleration, the Thunderbird was still a fine chariot to own. Like any Rhode Island Red chicken, the ‘Bird could definitely walk and expertly spread it wings. It gave the ’80 Thunderbird the dubious distinction of being the first ‘Bird powered by six cylinders. If that wasn’t frightful enough, Ford would rub salt in that CAFE-inflicted wound midway through the 1980 model year with an 88-hp, 200 cu in (3.3-liter) straight-six as standard equipment. Their horsepower ratings were truly distinctive, and for the wrong reasons, at 115 and 131, respectively. There were still two V8 engines available, the 255 cu in (4.2-liter) and time-honored 302 cu in (5.0-liter).
#1980 THUNDERBIRD KEYPAD NUMBER AMOUNT SKIN#
Being nothing but a sack of skin and bones can both be less than aesthetically pleasing and reinforce the perception of emaciation and anemia.įor 1980, anemia was definitely the buzzword around Ford’s engine department. On the other hand, certain thin girls don’t look so good, in an emaciated, anemic sort of way. There will always be those who speak the contrary but sometimes, big-boned girls can look pretty darn fine.
In 1978, the best-selling year for that generation, sales of the Torino-based ‘Bird totaled 352,751. The Seventh Generation 1977-79 Thunderbird had been a monumental success for Ford, selling 284,141 units even in worst-selling 1979. Thirty-two years after its introduction, this generation Thunderbird still looks a lot like this poor soul. If you’ve ever lost a lot of weight, or know someone who has, you know there’s more to successful weight loss than what the scale reads. The Thunderbird was the last full-figured holdout in the Ford fleet, the rest of which had been downsized a year or two earlier. Maybe it was a good idea at the time, what with the recent fuel crisis, current recession and stricter CAFE standards looming on the horizon. As a result, it shed nearly 700 pounds of road-hugging weight, lost 16″ in overall length and shrank 5.5″ in wheelbase. In this case, it might also help explain the 1980 Ford Thunderbird.įor its Eighth Generation, Ford dipped and marinated the Thunderbird in a barrel of Slim-Fast. The old adage of “it seemed like a good idea at the time” just seems to reek of an unfortunate outcome.
It tasted wretched, although it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Using a cheater bar seemed like a good idea at the time.Īnother time, when I desired a root beer float but had no vanilla ice cream, I substituted chocolate. It slipped, causing me to hit my forearm on the bumper and necessitating a late-night trip to the emergency room. (first posted ) Once, while working on my ’63 Galaxie, I used a cheater bar to remove a bolt.
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